Urban Updaters

When James Melendi, President of Urban Updaters, chided his octogenarian client for climbing up on a step stool to reach the top shelves in her kitchen cabinets, the last thing he expected to hear was a marriage proposal. She was so touched by his concern, she joked that if he wasn’t already married, she’d marry him herself!

Care and concern for his clients is one of the many reasons that Melendi has led a successful remodeling and handyman business since his founding of Urban Updaters in 2004. Care shines through every aspect of the business, from an attention to the smallest details of tile installation to guiding clients toward finding more cost-effective solutions. The fact that 100% of Urban Updaters’ current client base is from referrals, not advertising, is a testament to the quality and value of Melendi’s pursuit of perfection.

Melendi’s background in the business world gives him a unique perspective that informs his constant focus on customer satisfaction. Originally from Tampa, Florida, Melendi used his degree in Finance from the University of South Florida to land a financial sales position at a major investment company in downtown Chicago. The financial crisis and huge layoffs of the early 2000’s left Melendi and many others facing an uncertain future.

Not one to wait for opportunity to come knocking, Melendi volunteered to help his sister remodel the outdated kitchen in her Lincoln Park condo. Sounds great, except one minor detail: Melendi had never so much as installed a light switch or hung a cabinet in his life! From that first attempt came both a beautiful new kitchen and an epiphany – remodeling was something that Melendi had a real knack for and ultimately proved to be a way to take his professional future out of the hands of large corporations and become his own boss. Urban Updaters was born! At this “one-stop shop” clients have a trusted team of professionals ready to take on everything from small handyman jobs to full-scale gut rehab projects.

Care, professionalism, attention to detail, an eye for design, and the ability to creatively problem-solve are key factors in the success of Urban Updaters. But Melendi’s ability to connect with his clients and communicate with them throughout the design, planning and implementation of the project is what everyone loves to rave about. According to Melendi, his entire philosophy for Urban Updaters is summed up in his tagline: remodeling done right, right from the start.

Check out www.urbanupdaters.com for more information or to contact Urban Updaters about your next project.

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About FWDCHI

Forward Chicago, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization, envisions our neighborhoods as model communities for people of all ages, where residents can age in place while remaining active, engaged and influential.
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